Cazwilkins Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) Hey guys, So the story goes, I am on a 489 visa (skilled regional occupation). My husband and I are both from the UK and we have satisfied the visa requirements and our 887 visa is being processed. However, there is a 12-15 month wait. We have another 12 months to go. I just found out I am pregnant (my husband is a pom too). So realistically I am going to give birth whilst still on a temporary visa so the baby will also be a temporary resident. My main concern is whether medicare will cover the birth as I have read it can cost $10,000 just for a normal natural birth (no complications). Just after feedback from those who have given birth that aren't residents and what their experience was and what costs they had to fork out during the pregnancy, during birth and after birth Eg children's vaccinations etc. Also is it straight forward to inform the government that we are expecting? Is this done through immiaccount where the 887 visa application was done? Help!!!! Thanks in advance Edited February 5, 2019 by Cazwilkins Needed to add more information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonderingaloud Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 If you hold full medicare you might be covered going through the public system. If it’s just reciprocal Medicare then I doubt it. In which case you should hold private health insurance but would need the maternity extras to cover a pregnancy. If you don’t have these you may end up forking the full cost. Do you have Medicare ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazwilkins Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 I have reciprocal only. Getting mixed reviews from various websites as birth is classed as 'emergency' which is covered with reciprocal (this is what my friend who is a GP obstetrician says anyway). I have full cover for pregnancy with NIB but it only kicks in at the end of October and my due date is looking to be the beginning of October!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Not an expert but I reckon you'll be covered under medicare. Shouldn't cost you much at all. I also think your baby will be an Aussie citizen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheese n pickle Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 The baby won't be a citizen if neither parent holds PR or citizenship. Children born in Australia are automatically Australian citizens if at least one parent is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident at the time of the child’s birth. If neither parent is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia at the time of birth, the child is called a temporary resident. The child will hold the same visa subclass as the parent’s temporary resident visa. https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/pregnancy-care-on-a-visa-in-australia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonderingaloud Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Paul1Perth said: Not an expert but I reckon you'll be covered under medicare. Shouldn't cost you much at all. I also think your baby will be an Aussie citizen. No, at least one parent has to hold PR or citizenship for the child to be an Australian citizen. This is why we waited for our PR to fall pregnant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Wonderingaloud said: No, at least one parent has to hold PR or citizenship for the child to be an Australian citizen. This is why we waited for our PR to fall pregnant. Learn something new every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazwilkins Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 Yes already aware it will hold temporary residency status. That isn't an issue as they will automatically become residents when we become residents (they automatically get what the parents have. Already sought advice over this) As for waiting, that would have been ideal. But these things happen. Our life cannot be put on hold because immigration waiting times are ridiculous. Bearing in mind this time last year it was a 4-6 month wait and now it is 12-15. We will have almost satisfied the visa twice over by that point. Thanks for your input and help everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonderingaloud Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 26 minutes ago, Cazwilkins said: As for waiting, that would have been ideal. But these things happen. Our life cannot be put on hold because immigration waiting times are ridiculous. Bearing in mind this time last year it was a 4-6 month wait and now it is 12-15. We will have almost satisfied the visa twice over by that point. Thanks for your input and help everyone Absolutely- I wasn’t having a dig by my comment. Things were different when we went from temp to PR. The wait times have blown out something crazy. Yes I had a little look around, reciprocal covers medically necessary treatment. I am a midwife and antenatal care /certainly the birth and postnatal care is medically necessary! You should be ok I expect. Congratualtions, fun times ahead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip1 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Can you not just ask Medicare? They will know far more than people on this forum 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonderingaloud Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 47 minutes ago, Tulip1 said: Can you not just ask Medicare? They will know far more than people on this forum Oh yea- and that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMay24 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 If you've applied for a PR visa, you're normally immediately eligible for Medicare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samson Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Take your recipical Medicare card to a Medicare office with your PR application and current visa details and they should swap it for a full Medicare card.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazwilkins Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 (edited) 15 hours ago, Samson said: Take your recipical Medicare card to a Medicare office with your PR application and current visa details and they should swap it for a full Medicare card.. They sure don't tell you that do they! Thank you for the heads up. I did just that and now we are on a blue interim card which is basically a provisional full medicare card which will automatically become a green one once residency comes through This really has relieved a LOT of stress. PS Interestingly for anyone else who this may be relevant to...I was missold private health insurance through iselect. I told them when they looked for a policy for me that we were on a temporary skilled visa...I took out pregnancy cover and top hospital cover and paid for it for months on end...to then be told the other day that because I had reciprocal medicare, they wouldn't cover us for hospital!!!! So as you can imagine we had a LOT of stress and we are demanding a refund! So all this time we have probably paid $15,000 over the 2.5 years in private health insurance for it never to have been valid (core extras only were valid). Edited February 8, 2019 by Cazwilkins Needed to add more to my rant! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pommekate Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 You will be covered under Medicare. I had a baby when I was on a temporary visa. The reciprocal agreement is for urgent or necessary treatment. Obstetrics is considered necessary treatment. I also work as a midwife and have cared for many English couples in Australia who are on temporary visas. Like Australian families sometimes there are some costs you have to pay for in some areas such as USS etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazwilkins Posted February 28, 2019 Author Share Posted February 28, 2019 6 hours ago, pommekate said: You will be covered under Medicare. I had a baby when I was on a temporary visa. The reciprocal agreement is for urgent or necessary treatment. Obstetrics is considered necessary treatment. I also work as a midwife and have cared for many English couples in Australia who are on temporary visas. Like Australian families sometimes there are some costs you have to pay for in some areas such as USS etc. Hi, Thank you for your response. We are on a blue interim medicare card now as we have submitted for our permanent residency. Unfortunately I had surgery last night for an ectopic. It just isn't our time yet but feeling positive that we managed to conceive naturally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Cazwilkins said: Hi, Thank you for your response. We are on a blue interim medicare card now as we have submitted for our permanent residency. Unfortunately I had surgery last night for an ectopic. It just isn't our time yet but feeling positive that we managed to conceive naturally So very sorry to hear your news - sending hugs xxx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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